“One Health” outlook in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Abstract

“One Health” was created to promote successful collaboration to benefit human, animal, plant, and environmental health and the planet’s future. To accomplish this, a worldwide, cross-disciplinary approach is necessary. Even though it has been warmly embraced everywhere and by every international organization, its application in Africa, particularly in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo), faces severe challenges. Factors like low socioeconomic position, shortage of health experts, and scarcity of medical supplies limit the implementation and application of One Health in rural and urban parts of DR Congo. Efforts have been adopted to achieve One Health through collaboration among local communities from varying socioeconomic backgrounds, including a diverse indigenous population and social institutions in DR Congo. This present article hence discusses how One Health concept can be initiated and developed in Africa, taking the example of DR Congo.